As a nutritional supplement company, our team loves it when we hear about natural ways to help our health. We enjoy finding ways to boost heart health daily with simple lifestyle changes. That’s why we were so excited about new research saying that two apples a day can help cut cholesterol and aid the heart! The old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away might be more than just a catchy rhyme.

The news comes from a European study led by the Univ. of Reading. They found that eating two apples, filled with fiber and polyphenols, lowered the amount of total and LDL cholesterol in blood and improved blood vessel health. Improving blood vessel health can reduce your risk of suffering a heart attack.

The whole fruit plays a significant role; apple juice did not have the same impact. “A particular interest in this study is how the two whole apples, rather than a sugar and calorie matched apple juice drink, has had a significant effect on markers of heart health of participants,” said Professor Julie Lovegrove. Apples have much higher levels of fiber and polyphenols. Apples have 8.5 grams of fiber, while juice has less than 0.5 grams. The whole fruit has 990 milligrams of polyphenols; juice only has 2.5 milligrams.

The study looked at people over an eight-week period. They recorded what they ate and drank, including either two apples or the corresponding amount of juice, and made no other changes to their routine. The participants then took a few weeks as a break and switched to either juice or apples (depending on which they had been consuming before). This allowed researchers to study the results in the same person, not just in two groups of people.

The fiber in apples is pectin, which aids your gut bacteria, or microbiome. Pectin is found in other fruits and veggies, but apples are one of the best sources. The women in the study had better outcomes than men. However, the research wasn’t focused on gender, so those results weren’t clearly tracked.

While you might not fit two apples into your diet every day, increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat is a great idea. Beneficial pectin and polyphenols are found in many fruits and veggies. At this time of year, it can be easy to eat minimal amounts of healthy foods, but a good diet is necessary year-round, so instead of reaching your apple strudel, enjoy an apple this holiday season!